Nicholas Crane (born 6 May 1954) is an English
geographer,
explorer, writer and broadcaster. Since 2004 he has written and presented four television series for
BBC Two
BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...
: ''
Coast'', ''Great British Journeys'', ''
Map Man
''Map Man'' is a BBC documentary series first broadcast on BBC Two in 2004 and repeated in 2013. Each episode recounts a particular tale in the history of British cartography, with a particular emphasis on the individuals whose dedication and ing ...
'' and ''
Town''.
Early life and education
Crane was born in
Hastings, East Sussex, but grew up in
Norfolk. He attended
Wymondham College
Wymondham College is a coeducational day and boarding school in Morley, near Wymondham, Norfolk, England with academy status. A former grammar school, it is one of 36 state boarding schools in England and the largest of its type in the country, ...
from 1967 until 1972, then Cambridgeshire College of Arts & Technology (CCAT), a forerunner to
Anglia Ruskin University, where he studied Geography.
In his youth he went camping and hiking with his father and explored Norfolk by bicycle, which gave him his enthusiasm for exploration.
[
]
Career
In 1986 he located the pole of inaccessibility for the Eurasia landmass travelling with his cousin Richard; their journey being the subject of the book ''Journey to the Centre of the Earth''. In 1992–93 he embarked on an 18-month solo journey, walking 10,000 kilometres from Cape Finisterre
Cape Finisterre (, also ; gl, Cabo Fisterra, italic=no ; es, Cabo Finisterre, italic=no ) is a rock-bound peninsula on the west coast of Galicia, Spain.
In Roman times it was believed to be an end of the known world. The name Finisterre, like ...
to Istanbul. He recounted the trip in his book ''Clear Waters Rising: A Mountain Walk Across Europe'' which won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award in 1997, and made a television self-documentary of the journey: ''High Trails to Istanbul'' (1994).
His 2000 book ''Two Degrees West'' described his walk North to South down Great Britain in which he followed the eponymous meridian
Meridian or a meridian line (from Latin ''meridies'' via Old French ''meridiane'', meaning “midday”) may refer to
Science
* Meridian (astronomy), imaginary circle in a plane perpendicular to the planes of the celestial equator and horizon
* ...
as closely as possible. In 2003 he published a biography of Gerard Mercator, the great Flemish cartographer.
Together with Richard Crane he was awarded the 1992 Mungo Park Medal
The Mungo Park Medal is awarded by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society in recognition of outstanding contributions to geographical knowledge through exploration and/or research, and/or work of a practical nature of benefit to humanity in potent ...
by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society for his journeys in Tibet, China, Afghanistan and Africa.
In 2007 he completed a series called ''Great British Journeys''. In eight parts the series consisted of eight people who explored Great Britain and made a contribution to society born of the exploration. Each episode lasts one hour and the series was accompanied by a book.Richard Girling
Richard Girling is a British journalist and author, known for his writing on the environment.
Life and career
Richard Girling, born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire in 1945, is a journalist for ''The Sunday Times''. In 2002, he won the Specialist Writer ...
, Sue Clifford
Susan Merlyn Clifford MBE (born 16 April 1944) co-founded Common Ground, a British organisation which campaigns to link nature with culture and the positive investment people can make in their own localities, with Angela King in 1983.
She has wo ...
, Richard Mabey
Richard Thomas Mabey (born 20 February 1941) is a writer and broadcaster, chiefly on the relations between nature and culture.
Education
Mabey was educated at three independent schools, all in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. The first was at Roth ...
and Bill Bryson as part of CPRE
CPRE, The Countryside Charity, formerly known by names such as the ''Council for the Preservation of Rural England'' and the ''Council for the Protection of Rural England'', is a charity in England with over 40,000 members and supporters. Forme ...
's annual Volunteers Conference.
He presented a series about British towns broadcast in August 2011 and May–June 2013.
He has served as a visiting professor at Anglia Ruskin University which presented the former student in 2012 with the award of Honorary Doctor of Science.
He was elected President of the Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...
in 2015, though the post is now occupied by Nigel Clifford
Nigel Richard Clifford (born June 1959) is the President of the Royal Geographical Society, the Deputy Chair of the UK's Geospatial Commission, and Operating Executive for Marlin Equity Partners. He formerly held several chief executive and sen ...
.
Personal life
Crane lives in Primrose Hill in northwest London with his wife; they have three children.
Books
*''The CTC Route Guide to Cycling in Britain and Ireland'' (with Christa Gausden, 1980)
*''Cycling Guide'' (Tantivy Press, annually 1980–86)
*''Cycling in Europe'' (1984)
*''Bicycles Up Kilimanjaro'' (with Richard Crane, 1985)
*''Journey to the Centre of the Earth'' (with Richard Crane, 1987)
*''Richard's Mountain Bike Book'' (with Charles Kelly, edited by Richard Ballantine, 1988)
*''Nick Crane's Action Sports'' (1989)
*''Atlas Biker: Cycling in Morocco. O.U.P.'' (1990)
*''Clear Waters Rising: A Mountain Walk Across Europe'' (1996)
Television
*''Now Get Out of That'' – as a contestant representing Oxford, 1982
*''High Trails to Istanbul'' (1994)
*''Map Man
''Map Man'' is a BBC documentary series first broadcast on BBC Two in 2004 and repeated in 2013. Each episode recounts a particular tale in the history of British cartography, with a particular emphasis on the individuals whose dedication and ing ...
'' (8x30m, 2004 and 8x30m, 2005)
*'' Coast'' (as main presenter, 13x60m, 2005 and as regular contributor 2006 to present)
*''Great British Journeys'' (8x60m, 2007)
*''Beeching's Tracks'' – featured presenter of Episode 1 ''East''. Broadcast 13 November 2008 on BBC Four
References
External links
*
Interview with ''Wanderlust'' magazine
BBC's Coast
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crane, Nicholas
1954 births
Living people
Alumni of Anglia Ruskin University
English travel writers
Walkers of the United Kingdom
People from Wymondham
People educated at Wymondham College
Presidents of the Royal Geographical Society